Hampton Schools To Give Stiffer Punishment To Kids

HAMPTON — Hampton's revised student handbook will give harsher punishments next school year for breaking some school rules.

Parents will see a new, thicker student handbook at the start of next school year that gives some offenses harsher punishments than were meted out this academic year.

The Hampton School Board approved the new handbook, which consolidates the separate elementary, middle and high school handbooks into one book, at a board meeting Wednesday night.

School officials said they think having one book is easier for parents who have children in different schools and lets parents look ahead to see what's expected of their children as they move from elementary to middle school and middle to high school.

Officials also revised the student code of conduct, which lays out the rules that students must abide by at school and the punishments for breaking them.

Middle and high school students found threatening, hazing, bullying, intimidating or stalking other students could be suspended from school for up to 10 days. This school year the penalty was a suspension of up to five days.

"Threatening behavior is becoming more serious," said Tim Grimes, director of student services for the school system. "We're going to communicate to kids it won't be tolerated."

Students who threaten school staff members will face long-term suspension -- up to 180 days -- or expulsion rather than a 10-day suspension.

Possessing or selling drugs at school for the purpose of intoxication now includes over-the-counter medications and will carry long-term suspension or expulsion.

Kellee Fuller, whose children attend elementary, middle and high schools in Hampton, said she was glad the schools are recognizing that students selling medications in school is a serious problem -- even in middle school.

"It's more common than you can imagine," Fuller said, because of the easy access children have to medications, "and a lot of parents just aren't aware."

Making punishments more severe for some offenses gives teachers and administrators more freedom to dole out harsher consequences within the description of that offense, Grimes said. For example, if a staff member feels seriously threatened by a student, they can give a long-term suspension or expulsion if it's deserved.

"If they need to give a serious sentence to a kid," Grimes said, "they can do that and no one can question it." *

STUDENT HANDBOOK

These are some of the changes to Hampton's revised student handbook:

* The separate elementary, middle and high school handbooks become one book.